Exercise triggered?

[prioryguy]

Anyone ever found that exercise has triggered their anxiety?

Ive had a lot of issues / worries about heart issues - supposely my dr says its fine and that its all linked in with anxiety..

Anyway ive started the gym again - first time in 2 years, need to get fit and hope that exercise uses up some of the pent up energy / negative energy that could trigger panic attacks.. So i was on the cycling machine, monitoring my hr - went up to 182 peak - well within safe range, started to get a pain centre of chest, slowed up some - then had what i can only describe as a massive palpitation - felt like something beneth the surface moved a great deal - weird. Still did the next exercise - X trainer - how good are these things?!?! Great for those with dodgy knees. Anyway did another 15 mins on this and then left.. Was driving back from the gym got as far as my road and felt panicked - had to open the windows to breath and felt really awful. Pulled up by ambulance station just incase it wasnt a panic attack..

So here i am - not feeling up for going to my 2nd gym indution tonight as ive had a panic attack at work thinking about the issues i had yesterday and those that i may face if i went again tonight.


Has anyone else had a similar thing?

[shropshire_lad]

Hi there...

I think from what you describe it's just excessive adrenaline getting you all fired up.... I suffer the same unhelpful thoughts about my heart.

I do a lot of exercise and suffer panic attacks. I have had a panic attack while out running on a couple of occasions... Got myself all worked up once just by constantly checking my heart rate on my garmin...should know better! Downloaded the run on to my PC and it showed a nice spike from 160 to 190bpm where I had my episode.... It stayed elevated at this level for over 5 minutes even though I stopped running altogether and started my relaxation breathing.

I also weight train regularly and have had a couple of panic attacks in the past after just finishing my workout...all related I'm sure to my worries about my heart...and the excessive adrenaline floating around again.

One thing to remember is exercise of any kind will increase adrenaline temporarily, so you may be more prone to a panic attack if you are anxious too.

Take care... and try and stay positive!

[prioryguy]

Thanks for your kind words and input its most helpful. Its hard to remain logical when having an episode though isnt it !

Garmin - wanted one of these for my bike but couldnt justify the 400 price tag !

[vicky23]

I have health anxiety and altho it's not so bad now I did have big fears thinking I was having a heart attack. Even know it's quite scary to do something that I know will make my heart beat faster and my breathing increase BUT I tell myself it's natural and anyone who exercises will react in this way. I guess it's the way we interpret those feelings, hopefully after you've been exercising a while you'll start to associate these feelings with a healthy and fit lifestyle choice and the release of endorphins

[PokerFace]

OMG yea! I was bouncin round on the Wii fit like a loon for a couple of hours once and eventually I was like ok enough! So I got off sat on my bed and I got this MASSIVE crush all through the centre of my chest! Of course I started thinking I'd given myself a heart attack cuz all my anxiety is focused around my heart so went into a full blown panic! I was ok though obviously. I didn't exercise for like months after it cuz I was so scared and I can honestly say that it was a giant mistake! Ended up feeling so bad and more and more scared about exercising so just kept putting it off and wouldn't go out or anything incase I died. My panic attacks and anxiety increased and I'd pretty much dug myself into a massive rut that I'm only just starting to get out of! (I hope!)

I get those scary missed beats a lot too but it's when adrenaline gets released into your blood inapropriatley and unfrotunatley that happens in exercise! Completely harmless though.!

Best thing you can do in my opinion is grab the bull by the horns and face exercising again. Will make you feel better in the long run! You don't have to today though, exercising is usually a day on day off kinda thing so you get a chance to mend an relax, you don't have to do it everyday.! :) xx

[jothenurse]

I know how you feel. Before my panic attacks, I used to exercise all the time. Hike, run, take my dog for walks, go to the fitness center. Then I had an episode of tachycardia really bad walking up my stairs and I had a panic attack. After that had been in the ER a few times with rapid heart rates, all sinus tachycardia with panic. I also had a 24 hour monitor done - all ok. I even had a panic while mowing the lawn during that time and my pulse was 167, but the doctor said it was panic.
Now I am trying so hard to get back into shape, but as soon as I notice my pulse start to go up (even in the 90's), I start getting scared and slow down whatever I'm doing.
How do you ever get over this so you can do a cardio workout?

[PokerFace]

I'm like that Jo!! My heart rate is 80-90 resting anyway usually which freaks me out! I've jus recently started to exercise cuz I rly have bin in a massive rut past coupla months. I get scared when my heart goes mega fast too n it happens rly easily cuz I havn't rly bin exercising! I started propranolol again few months ago for my anxiety and it makes it rly hard for me to find my heart rate. I have to activley search all ova for it before I find it and when I'm exercising I can't feel it thumping around all over the place in my chest but still goes quite fast.

If you don't want meds, I used to exercise with heart anxiety before I started to rely on the propranolol to keep me calm and the best thing to do in my experience is bite the bullet and really try to ignore it then it gets easier every time. Remind yourself that an elevated heart rate during exercise is more than normal, it's what shows you your heart is working properly.! It will go back down about 2 minutes after you stop exercising if you let it. xx

[jothenurse]

Thanks for your suggestion. I appreciate it.

[shropshire_lad]

Thanks for your kind words and input its most helpful. Its hard to remain logical when having an episode though isnt it !

Garmin - wanted one of these for my bike but couldnt justify the 400 price tag !

Mine's the Garmin Forerunner 405 (£200 off amazon) ... Nice gadget, sure helps with my running training, also has a bike function too, which is cool for when I get my mountain bike out.

You're damn right though about remaining rational when you're in full blown panic, pretty much impossible - I get awful, dark, paranoid thoughts - a true catastrophiser!

I'm currently on mirtazapine for anxiety/depression, which seems to be helping. Has really encouraged me to up my exercise too, particularly cardio to burn off all the extra food the mirt is making me eat! :D

I also started CBT this week, so hopefully I can get back in control and drop the drugs.
:yesyes:

[sweet juicy]

I dont think so !i think doing exercise can relax ourselves